I was a repertory actor, which meant that I did a play every week. I was a different character every week; for a year, I was doing 40 or 50 characters.

I'm the happiest grandfather in the world, I promise you.

In the sixties, everyone you knew became famous. My flatmate was Terence Stamp. My barber was Vidal Sassoon. David Hockney did the menu in a restaurant I went to. I didn't know anyone unknown who didn't become famous.

That to me is what my idea of film acting should be. There shouldn't be any acting. You should just be watching a real person.

My mum never understood how much I earned. When I told her I earned a million pounds a film, she said, 'How much is that?'

I've always loved reprehensible people because they're so much more interesting to play on screen.

I'm not a betting man, and even if I was, I certainly wouldn't bet on this! I would not bet on the Best Actor.